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Real Estate News That Matters To You

How to sell your home fast

No home seller enters the market hoping for a long, drawn-out sale of their home. Yet many sellers set themselves up for this eventual reality through mistakes made before their home even hits the market. To avoid this with your own home sale, here are five things you can do to sell your home fast.

Find the right REALTOR® — The right REALTOR® can help you determine the best price for your home based on the market, help your home get noticed and handle the negotiation process for you. Many potential buyers don’t want to buy a home directly from the owner and having a Realtor will help you reach them.

Price your home right — Your REALTOR® can help with this, but remember your home’s busiest days will be in the first month so don’t price your home outside of market value and miss this window. You don’t want to leave money on the table, but the right price is essential to move your home quickly.

Make small cosmetic updates —From maintaining the lawn to a fresh coat of paint, a little extra work on the front end can move your home much more quickly. When buyers see your home, the last thing they should think is “more work.”

Clear the clutter —You want buyers to focus on your home, not the objects in it, so clear as much clutter as possible. The home shouldn’t be empty, but buyers shouldn’t be tripping as they navigate a tour either.

Photos count —Great photos of your home — no nighttime pictures — are essential. Make sure your listing has them and supply new photos if it doesn’t.

How to simplify your yard work

Winter typically means a lot less yard work because let’s face it, it’s pretty hard to mow your lawn if it’s covered with snow. Although winter in Florida, we don't worry about snow, we do need to protect our plants.

But before the work stops completely, many of us have to make one last push through fall. From raking leaves to winterizing perennial plants, there’s a lot to get done! Here are some tips on how to simplify your yardwork chores this fall.

Check the weather — There’s no sense in raking your entire yard if a storm is just going to blow a new batch of leaves onto it. Watch the weather forecast and plan ahead to maximize productivity.

Upgrade technology — Save time by using a leaf blower/vacuum instead of a rake, or use electric shears to trim dead branches instead of a handheld pruner. The better your tools, the easier the project.

Simplify your yard — Reduce the size of your lawn and use easy-care plants to cut down on your workload. This may require more effort in the spring and summer, but you’ll thank yourself this time next year.

Get help — The best way to lighten your yardwork load? Get somebody else to do it! As they say, many hands make light work. Besides, what are friends and family for?

The best salads to share this Thanksgiving

Turkey and mashed potatoes usually steal the show at Thanksgiving. But this year, impress your guests with these standout salads: